That period is remembered fondly in Gorgie after they led the table for six months and embarked on a 15-game unbeaten run.

Hearts eventually finished runners-up to Rangers but gave their fans a season to remember.

Jordan admits it’s premature to start getting carried away but with St Mirren, Motherwell, Livingston and St Johnstone all on the horizon before a trip to Rangers, the 66-year-old insists it’s not beyond possibility to head to Ibrox with seven played and maximum points.

He said: ‘With Hearts starting the way they have, they now have a different look about them. When you look at the league table, you now have to look at it twice and that can only be good for Scottish football.

“It’s always dangerous to look any further ahead than where Hearts are now but they look like a side which is ready to build on something, a momentum and a sense that they can achieve something.

“What we had in 1991-92 was momentum for a large part of the season and there was a lot of work put in to achieving that.

Uche Ikpeazu celebrates his late winner at Kilmarnock that kept Hearts top of the table

“I remember seeing the confidence gained by the players we had once we managed to achieve result after result. That all starts with a successful pre-season and clearly Hearts are benefiting from the work they’ve done. We went to Rangers and beat them 1-0 – that did a huge amount to build the belief in the team.

“My team had good, experienced defenders. We had a creative midfield with dig and drive as well as a potent partnership in attack with John Robertson and Scott Crabbe. We also had John Millar and Ian Baird who scored goals.

“Craig has assembled the group he wants and he’s managed to get them fit for the start of the season.

“They look capable of getting a result from every game they go into.”

Jordan managed Hearts from 1990 to 1993 (Image: Daily Record)

Craig Levein before he took unwell (Image: SNS Group)

Celtic are looking to make it eight titles in a row but the Jambos beat them 1-0 at Tynecastle to lay down a marker.

And Jordan believes a host of clubs look ready to give the Hoops a run for their money at last.

He said: “You get a sense that it’s not going to be the same as previous seasons where Celtic head out of sight as a matter of course.

“Celtic have slipped up, Rangers have started well and Hearts have started exceptionally well.

“It may only be the start to a new season but nobody should underplay the importance of getting off to a good start.